In truth, I love much of Mexico and the friends and family I have there. What I don't love are the politics and the soccer team.

US politics as seen from Mexico? Yeah, that's never a fun conversation. A lot of it is due to Mexican politicians, especially on the left but all do it to some degree, using the US as the boogeyman to explain away all of Mexico's problems. Think of the US in their rhetoric as China in Trump's rhetoric. Mexico is the victim, if and it it weren't for the US we'd be in such great shape, etc.

Hated hearing from family, friends, and people I didn't even know there about how much better they were than us and how they would destroy us the next time we played and about how pathetic our soccer team was.

Of course they do. That happens to every American missionary serving in Mexico, or frequent American visitors. It's one of the few things we can trash talk Americans about, though it's eroding fast, sadly. In most cases, it's good-natured ribbing. Don't take it personal.

Often times this was followed by questions about whether I could sponsor them to come work in the US, or if I had any connections that could smuggle them across the border, or my thoughts on the "reconquista" of the Southwestern US that is going on and how stupid we Americans are for letting it happen.

Those are also common jokes. I'm a little surprised that you take all of it seriously. Asking for a coyote referral is especially funny.

Luckily, I'm able to separate my love of the people and the country from the politics and the soccer team. I still visit, still would love to work there one day, and still have many friends and family there. If that's a persecution complex, so be it.

Well, the longer explanation was much better. I was responding to this: "[Mexico] fans constantly rip on America and state how much they hate us". Of course we talk trash. But we don't hate you guys.

I've been to a few Mexico-USA games, in Mexico and in Columbus, and there are good vibes all around. Fans intermingle and play pickup, pictures with fans of the other team, friendly trash talking, etc. Only issue is (if game is in Mexico) avoiding lower bowl, especially near corner kicks, else I might get soaked in liquids of dubious origins (aka agua de rinhon).